Promoting Sustainability

Academics

MSU's outdoor classroom is located behind the Lappin Hall science building. Students get hands on experience learning about native plants, rain gardens, rainwater collection, composting and other environmental topics.

MSU's Environmental Education Center provides funding for supplies and equipment to ensure all pre-service teachers at MSU may receive some training in environmental education. The center also does outreach and research in environmental issues and environmental education.

Facilities

Energy

MSU has an energy performance contract with Siemens to install energy saving controls and software to reduce energy consumption and costs across campus.

MSU has the ability to track energy usage in real time in all residence halls and most of the campus administration and classroom buildings

Capable of remote control of thermostats, air handlers and some chillers.

Remote control lighting in the Center for Heath, Education & Research Building (CHER), the Recreation & Wellness Center and Space Science Center.

Occupancy sensors are installed in most buildings.

MSU switched from coal fired to natural gas at our heating & water plant in 2012.

Planning and Construction

The Recreation & Wellness Center was awarded LEED GOLD in July 2011. It was the first LEED certified recreation center in Kentucky and the first LEED building on MSU campus. Some features include geothermal heating & cooling systems, geothermal well that heats the pool water, natural day lighting, lighting has day lighting & motion sensor controls, water catchment systems, CO2 sensors to determine how much fresh air to bring into the building.

The Center for Regional Engagement (CHER) and Space Science building are both built to LEED standards.

MSU finalized a new campus master plan in 2014 that includes much more green space and pedestrian and bike friendly areas. The plan will incorporate permeable pavers and rain garden filtration zones in the Eagle Way Pedestrian Walk. The plan includes walking trails along Triplett Creek and enhanced stream drainage in the area.

Construction on two new dining halls will begin this year with plans to incorporate composting food waste and many other improvements in energy efficiency, recycling and waste reduction.

A new residence hall is beginning planned and constructed this year and it will incorporate many environmental friendly characteristics and meet LEED certification.

Campus Conservation & Sustainable Grounds

The Center for Environmental Education is constructing a Carbon Pocket Park in the spring of 2016 between Normal Hall and the Space Science Center. The new outdoor classroom will teach students and visitors the effects of climate change, demonstrate mitigation techniques and provide wildlife and pollinator habitat and protection.

Our new Bee Campus USA committee is currently seeking the Bee Campus USA certification and will be placing pollinator friendly native plants, signs and information on the importance of pollinators in the new Carbon Pocket Park. They have adopted a new plan for best practices and integrated pest management for campus grounds and farms to minimize impacts on wildlife and pollinators (pollinator protection plan). They have also planned several public events and workshops on pollinator protection.

MSU has a 30 acre lake ( Eagle Lake) on the northern edge of the campus surrounded by roughly 645 acres of conservation forest land owned by the University with wetlands, streams and hiking trails. This area is designated a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.

MSU Farm: greenhouse and horticultural program produces flowers & plants for campus landscaping, community sales, local farmers and gardeners. .

MSU Farm produces various food crops, shrimp, beef and pork that are purchased by Aramark food vendor for the Farm to Campus program and sold to the community with the Kentucky Proud logo.

MSU's Browning Orchard produces apples and cider that are also utilized in the Farm to Campus program and holds an annual orchard festival.

The University Farm has a compost area and utilizes compost and a manure spreader to fertilize and improve the soil for crops.

Sonny Allen Baseball Field had 1600 pounds of biochar added in 2015. Biochar is a carbon offset soil amendment.

Our Eagle Trace Golf Course replaced all the turf in 2015 with the environmental friendly Zoysia sod. This will help reduce water consumption and chemical usage that is normally required to maintain golf greens.

Recycling and Waste

In 2015, MSU purchased 1250 mini recycling bins for all the residence hall rooms and posted new posters with campus recycling information.

In 2015, new bins for recycling batteries, cell phones, pens, pencils and ink cartridges were placed in all residence hall lobbies.

In 2015, MSU purchased new bins for recycling plastic shopping bags and placed them in all the residence halls and the Adron Doran University Center.

MSU has its own recycling pickup truck that collects all recyclables on campus and takes them to the Morehead Recycling Center. Pick up is overseen by facilities Management.

In 2013/14, MSU properly disposed of a large stockpile of old hazardous chemicals to make campus a safer & healthier environment.

Procurement and Surplus

The Office of Support Services created an online surplus site in 2014 for faculty and staff which reduces transportation and moving costs of surplus items.

Surplus items not reused on campus are sold at public sale on the 1st Monday of each month.

Limit computer and electronic office equipment purchases to devices that are identified as Energy Star products.

When purchasing goods, supplies, equipment, materials and printing, the University requires a minimum recycled material content. The recycled material content is established by administration regulations and at a minimum is equivalent to the recycled material content established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Transportation

MSU encourages the healthy use of bicycles and walking as the major modes of transportation on campus. Morehead is a designated "Trail Town" and has miles of great trails for hiking and biking. Check out our Hike & Bike page for more information.

Morehead Intercity bus will take passengers to Lexington or Ashland to connect with train, bus and airport travel: bus route & schedule.

Any faculty, staff or student that is on University business may choose to offset their emission when purchasing airline tickets or other forms of transportation. The sustainability committee requests that all offsets purchased for University travel be reported to Holly Niehoff, so that they may be included in the annual carbon footprint calculation.

Auxiliary Services

Food Service, Vending & Concessions

Reduced Styrofoam to go containers by 5 cases per week in residential dining by switching to reusable to go containers.

Implemented recycling of plastics and aluminum in kitchens in late Spring semester 2014 in partnership with the recycling committee and facilities services.

Implementing “mug shot wall” at Java City in Fall 2014. Customers who use a reusable mug will get their photo taken and get added to our mug shot wall, there will be periodic drawings and prizes to drive excitement.

Partner with MSU farm to purchase fresh water shrimp, 4 head of cattle in the 13-14 academic year, herbs, vegetables, flowers for events, apples from the Browning Orchard, cider from orchard.

Increased Kentucky Proud purchases by partnering with Sysco and Borden Dairy for milk needs, Klosterman for bread and Piazza produce for in season Kentucky proud produce.